Is Sedation Dentistry Right For You?

Dental anxiety, dental fear, and dental phobia are all ways of describing a fear of going to the dentist.

By some accounts, one out of every five people avoids going to the dentist because of this fear.

At Advanced Smile Arts, we don’t take this personally. Instead, our dentist, Dr. Mike Fuesting, has found a way to help patients who get nervous when they think about going to the dentist.

We are one of the few dentist offices in central Illinois that offer two types of sedation dentistry for our patients. If you would like to learn more about dental sedation, keep reading, call, or stop by our dentist office in Danville.

Who Benefits From Sedation Dentistry

People who are anxious may be experiencing a number of symptoms.

You may feel panicked or fearful (the “fight or flight” sensation). You may become sweaty, or you could feel cold.

You may hyperventilate or feel short of breath. Your heart can start racing, and you may have trouble staying calm or remaining still in the dentist’s chair.

This is not good for you, and it makes it harder for the dentist or hygienist who is trying to clean your teeth.

Through sedation, you can remain calm, comfortable, and relaxed throughout your cleaning or other dental procedure.

Sedation will alleviate your tension. It provides an anesthetic benefit, so you won’t feel any pain.

It also provides an amnesiac effect, so you may not remember anything about your dental care. Nevertheless, you will receive the same benefits of having a clean and healthy mouth.

We will try to explain the differences below to help you decide which type of sedation may work best for you.

Nitrous Oxide

People have been using nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) for more than 200 years. It’s been used in dentistry for more than 150 years.

Through research, medical and dental professionals have learned more about the effects of nitrous oxide and how to use that knowledge to help our patients.

Nitrous oxide takes effect and wears off quickly. All you have to do is breathe.

As you inhale nitrous oxide, it changes how you perceive what is happening around you. You may feel light-headed. You won’t be asleep, but you may feel like you are in a dream-like experience. You may remember bits and pieces of your treatment, or you may not remember any of it.

As long as you are breathing the nitrous oxide, you will remain in this dreamy state. Your muscles will remain relaxed. You won’t feel any pain, and you won’t have to worry about gagging if you have a sensitive gag reflex.

When your dentist or hygienist is finished, we just turn off the gas. You will breathe out the remaining nitrous oxide naturally, and within minutes, you will feel like yourself again.

Once you are ready, you can go back to work or get on with your other plans for the day.

Oral Conscious Sedation

For patients with higher levels of anxiety, we may recommend oral conscious sedation instead. This a stronger form of dental sedation.

Rather than inhaling a gas, you will take medication before your appointment. You will be feeling the effects well before your treatment begins.

You may feel drowsy, or you may fall asleep with this form of sedation dentistry. It’s more than likely that you will not recall anything about your treatment.

And as with nitrous oxide, you will remain calm, comfortable, and relaxed throughout your dental care.

The biggest difference is that the effects of oral conscious sedation can last for hours. This means that you must make arrangements for a family member or friend to take you home if you receive this form of sedation.

When you get home, you should rest until the effects of the medication wear off.

Make Dental Care Easier On Yourself

Our staff has completed the training to administer sedation dentistry to help our patients in Danville and throughout central Illinois. You now have a dentist close to home who can help you manage your anxiety to receive the dental care that you deserve.

In the short-term, we want to help make your dental visits easier to accept in spite of your anxiety or fear. In the long-term, we believe this may help you feel less anxious and less afraid of calling to make an appointment with us.

If you have any questions or if you would like to schedule a visit, call Advanced Smile Arts at 217-442-0211 or fill out our online appointment form.

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Loved the flowers given to me at the end of my appointment for patient of the week. That was a very nice touch, and let me know that the team was thinking of me even before I was there for the appointment. Awesome care!!

- Teresa B.

Always a good experience.

Going to the dentist is not my favorite thing to do but Dr. Fuesting and his staff always make the visit a comfortable one.

- Mary L.

No more dentist dread!

I no longer dread coming to the dentist! Dr. Fuesting is friendly and makes for a calm, comfortable chairside manner. Deb is great and makes you enjoy coming in for cleanings. They both take the time to answer any questions.

- John D.

Great place for people with anxiety.

Best dentist I have been to! Do to some bad experiences at other dentist, I have a lot of anxiety when I need work done. Dr. Mike and the staff do a great job explaining what they are doing and make you feel comfortable and relaxed.

- Joseph T.

My hygienist is awesome!

I used to hate going to the dentist. Since I have been coming to your office I really don’t mind coming. Everyone is nice and takes time to explain and allow you to ask questions about your appointment.

- Dianna S.

Nap time!

I was a little surprised when my appointment work was “revised” to accommodate a few other items the staff thought should be addressed at the same time. Everything went exceedingly well and I really could have “taken a nap” while they all did their work.

- Steven H.

Best dental team around.

I wish we would have found this office years ago. They are the absolute top of the line. Very professional and high tech. The hygienists are painless, as is Dr Fuesting. He personally called our home at 9pm to check on our son, who had some extractions done earlier in the day. We love this office!!

- John M.

love this dentist office. great with kids. This dentist office is fantastic in customer care. They are wonderful with kids also.

- Amanda H.

If I have to go to a dentist, I’m glad he’s Mike. I’m glad that the staff pays attention to what I’m saying. They make me feel like a person, not just another patient to deal with, and I thank them for that.

- Terry R.

Yipee….I am cavity free!

This office is very professional from arrival to departure. I appreciate the friendliness of all of the staff.